While Étienne was carrying off the proclamation announcing the downfall of the Bourbons, signed "BAUDE, _Secretary of the Provisional Government_," he met a former actor named Charlet, in the market of the Innocents, who was walking in front of an immense crowd of people which filled up the whole of the square. The two principal personages in that crowd, those who appeared to be conducting it or to be conducted by it, were a man dressed as a captain, and another in the uniform of a general. The man in captain's uniform was Évariste Dumoulin, the editor of the _Constitutionnel_, to whom I have referred apropos of Madame Valmonzey and _Christine._ The man in the general's uniform was General Dubourg. Nobody knew who General Dubourg was or where he sprang from, or whether he had been to an old-clothes shop and either borrowed or hired or bought his general's uniform. But the epaulettes were wanting, and this was too important an accessory to be neglected. Charlet, the actor, went and fetched a pair of epaulettes from the property stores of the Opéra-Comique and brought them to the general. And, thus complete, he set off at the head of his procession. "What is all this crowd? Étienne asked of Charlet. "It is General Dubourg's procession starting for the Hôtel de Ville." "Who is General Dubourg?" "General Dubourg is General Dubourg," said Charlet. And there was indeed no other explanation to be offered. General Dubourg had presented himself before Higonnet and Degousée at the Mairie des Petits-Pères the previous day. "Gentlemen," he asked, "do you require a general?" "A general?" Degousée repeated. "In Revolutionary times it only needs a tailor to make anything or anybody--and, given sufficient tailors, there will be no lack of generals." The general made a mental note of the expression, but, instead of applying to a tailor, he did what was more economical and expeditious. He went to a second-hand clothes dealer! But then it was fitting that a general of fortune should have a makeshift for a uniform. Well, the general and his uniform combined went to the Hôtel de Ville. Now, it is the proper thing for processions to march at a slow pace, and this particular one did not depart from the usual custom. Étienne had time to go and deposit his despatch at the offices of the _National_ and, by hurrying slightly, he was able to return to the Hôtel de Ville before General Dubourg had effected his entrance. "Baude," he said, "do you know what is coming?" "No." "A general!" "What general?" "General Dubourg.... Do you know the person?" "Not from Adam or Eve! Is he in uniform?" "Yes." "A uniform will go down well! Hurrah for General Dubourg! We will put him in a back room and show him off when occasion offers." General Dubourg entered to the shouts of "Vive le general Dubourg!" They took him to the back room Baude pointed out, and when he was there-- "What do you wish, General?" they asked him.